Three Words
by goshinote
Summary: A silent year ended by a single three-word postcard. An original epilogue to Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor and Park...Complete.


Hi, guys! So I'm doing something a little different…

Obviously, I always write my fics about Inuyasha. It's weird, I know, but I just don't really have the passion for writing about any other anime/books/movies.

But then I reread one of my all-time favorite books and I was like, wow…why haven't I written my own epilogue for this before?

And so, this fic was born. I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Eleanor and Park or its characters. All rights to Rainbow Rowell.

 _Three Words_

It had been just over a year, but to Park, it felt like so much more.

It had been just over a year since he'd last seen Eleanor, and every day hurt more than the last until he'd finally just gone numb all over.

But then he'd received a postcard from Eleanor after her year-long silence. He'd never stopped loving her, never given up on her, but he had to admit that it was difficult to keep hope that he'd see her again. It was difficult to keep hope that they would be together like they once were at the peak of happiness.

Memories of their last time in Park's Impala kept him awake the night after he'd gotten her postcard. He wanted to focus on those memories instead of the life he'd been living without Eleanor. He thought about his job, the tapes he never listened to anymore because they were stained with Eleanor, and the prom. It killed him slowly, cut through him deeper than he ever thought possible.

But now that was all done.

 _Cross the sky…_

Those three words on the postcard Eleanor had sent him was enough to rejuvenate and revive him.

That night, abandoning any idea of sleep, Park threw his blankets off of him and jumped out of bed. He didn't care what time it was. He didn't even bother to look at the clock. He quickly dressed in one of his old black t-shirts from his and Eleanor's time together, grabbed his backpack and threw some CD's in it, and ran out of his bedroom.

Without wasting time to leave a note for his parents as he grabbed his car keys, he caught a glance of the time.

2:08 A.M.

He didn't care.

Once he'd made it to the Impala, he paused to look over at the empty passenger seat.

He saw Eleanor laughing at something cheesy he'd said. Eleanor making fun of everyone on the bus. Eleanor pulling his sleeve that night and waking the beast inside of him. Eleanor.

Quickly tossing the car in gear, he pulled out of his driveway and began to drive down the street. He didn't need a map; the way to Eleanor's aunt and uncle's house was permanently engrained in his mind. At one time, it was the worst route he'd ever taken.

But now…it was the most hopeful one.

He didn't listen to any music on the way there. He wanted to save the moment he listened to The Smiths for the first time in over a year for Eleanor. He wanted them to share that moment, among many, many other moments. He wanted to relive their moments in the Impala, the moments on his couch, and the moments listening to tapes on his bedroom floor.

He wanted to make new memories, and he stepped on the gas pedal as he imagined the life he would have with Eleanor.

Park was seventeen-years-old, but over the last year, he felt like he'd aged to ninety. Life without Eleanor was painful, stiff, and rickety; it was exactly how he imagined worn-out bones would feel as they were being walked on.

But that would all change _soon_.

He remembered the first song they had listened to together.

 _How Soon is Now?_

Now is soon…

Soon is now…

Park once again pushed the pedal down a little harder. He did his best to not speed too much; he didn't want to get pulled over and waste time that he could be using to get to Eleanor.

He was crossing the sky. Just like he'd told her that night in the Impala.

She knew he'd do it for her. She knew he loved her. He'd told her so many times.

At that moment, for the first time, Park felt a small feeling of doubt enter him.

He'd told Eleanor he loved her nearly every time they were together, but she'd never said it back. He'd always known she loved him, too, but even during their time together, he'd sometimes been uncertain. To know about her feelings toward _Romeo and Juliet_ and her frequent reminders that they were _only_ sixteen sparked an unwelcome sense of uneasiness to settle in the pit of his stomach.

Park knew he hadn't misunderstood the postcard. He knew that he'd caught on to what Eleanor was saying.

But would it be enough?

.0.

Eleanor flopped back on her bed and stared up at the ceiling after she'd gotten home from school.

 _Park…_

Something had changed in her only a few days ago. It had been prom night at her school, and when she'd seen the fliers go up about a month ago, she remembered her conversation with Park.

 _"_ _We should go to prom."_

 _"…_ _why would we go there?"_

 _"_ _Because it's prom."_

 _"_ _And it's lame."_

 _"_ _I know that the prom is lame, but it's not something you can go back and do. You only get one chance."_

 _"_ _Actually, you get three chances…"_

 _"_ _You think it's never going to happen. You'll see. I'm not going anywhere…"_

Park had kept his word. He'd never gone anywhere. Eleanor was the one that had left, which truthfully she knew wasn't her fault, but she'd stayed gone. She could have sent the letters she'd begun to write after Park's had stopped coming. That was the only time he'd even come close to leaving her.

But she knew Park. She knew that like her, he was probably still writing letters…letters he would never send.

And when the prom fliers had gone up, Eleanor remembered that conversation. She remembered Park's promise that he wouldn't go anywhere. And Eleanor realized…

Park was her constant. As constant as the stars in the sky, Park was always there. He was always exactly who he was. He'd laid his heart out for Eleanor, he'd paved a straight path to his soul, he'd bared everything for her.

Park was the one constant thing in her life.

Yeah, her life sucked because of her family, but she'd never realized that she'd gained a new family.

Park…he was her family. His parents and brother…they'd become her family, too.

She'd been scared to admit it to herself, and especially to Park, but she knew now. She wasn't afraid anymore.

Eleanor loved Park.

She loved him with every inch of her soul, every beat of her heart, and every single atom in her body.

At that realization, she jumped up out of her bed, quickly let her aunt and uncle know that she was going to the store, and ran out the door.

It was the next day that she'd sent him the postcard.

 _You said you would cross the sky for me, Park,_ she thought to herself as she'd written out his address along with the simple three words on the postcard. _Now…now I know you will._

She'd gone home with her heart in her throat. The beating nearly pulverized her body as she got ready for bed.

That night, her dreams were filled with green eyes and honey-colored skin.

.0.

As Park finally crossed the border into Minnesota, his heart was racing in his throat. _Not too much longer,_ he chanted in his mind. He could practically feel the bags underneath his eyes, but he felt no fatigue, only adrenaline.

Eleanor…

 _How Soon is Now?_

Now is soon.

When he finally reached St. Paul, he maneuvered almost expertly through the streets that led to where Eleanor was.

After a ten-minute drive that felt longer than the six hours it had taken to get there, Park pulled up in front of Eleanor's aunt and uncle's house.

There were no cars in the driveway.

Park looked at the clock. It was almost 8:30 in the morning.

 _Her aunt and uncle are probably at work,_ he thought to himself. _That's good. This isn't a reunion I'd like an audience for._

But then he realized.

 _If they're at work, then Eleanor is at school._

"Are you fricking _kidding_ me?" Park shouted at himself, unsure if he was angrier at the rate the world turns or this whole situation in general. He banged on the steering wheel as hard as he could.

He looked back at the house and stared hard at it. He figured he could just wait here until she got home from school, but that would drive him absolutely crazy. As he was trying to decide if he should stay all day or try and go somewhere else to wait, he saw a movement in the window of the house.

The curtain shifted, and then he saw the front door open.

And, for the first time in over a year, he saw a girl with a nest of red curls on her head step out onto the porch.

She was just as breathtaking as he'd imagined.

Her voluptuous figure was the same, just as he'd hoped. Her hair was longer, which he loved. Her clothes fit her right, and he was glad to see that she was being taken care of. She looked healthier than he'd ever seen her, and he began to feel grateful that she'd gotten away.

He was seeing her in person again. He was about to pull her into his arms and never let go.

And looking at her, he knew it was worth it.

Park opened his car door and got out, his eyes never leaving the girl on the porch.

He very nearly ran up the sidewalk and straight to her, but he knew she would think that was cheesy. Although he would kill to hear her laugh again, the first thing he wanted to hear was her surprised gasp as she held her tightly for the first time in what felt like forever.

When he was about halfway to the porch, he stopped and stared at her. Eleanor stared right back with an unfathomable expression on her face.

 _Disbelief? Fear? Anger?_ Park never knew with her. He still loved it.

"Eleanor," he said, his voice shaky. "I crossed the sky."

And to his surprise, Eleanor was the one that came running.

She threw herself into his arms and held him so tightly he could barely breathe. Park wished she'd hold him tighter.

Park's hands first went to her hair. His fingers ran through it on their way to her neck, then to her back. He anchored himself there and wrapped his arms around her as tightly as he could.

He didn't try to hold back the tears that were falling from his eyes.

After what felt like a century, Eleanor pulled away from him and he saw that she, too, was crying.

"Park," she said, her voice just as shaky as his. "I've pretended to be sick all week so I could skip school and be here when you came. Pathetic, right?" Park nearly laughed in giddy relief. The sound of her voice was too much for him to bear.

He gripped her cheeks in his hand and kissed her passionately. It reminded him of Christmas Eve when they'd kissed outside the school. It had been magical.

But this…this was fiery. Forget magical. They had unimaginable.

Eleanor kissed him back with a fervor he'd missed almost as much as her crab-apple cheeks. He pulled her away just so he could run his thumbs over them.

Eleanor stared up at him, finally returning the smile that he'd donned as soon as their lips had touched.

"Park," she said again. "You crossed the sky." Park's eyes crinkled as his smile widened.

"I did," he replied. "Well, crossed, jogged, ran like I was on fire, you know. It's all the same." Eleanor laughed and Park very nearly tackled her in kisses again.

Instead, he pulled her close as Eleanor lay her head on his chest.

"I love you, Eleanor," he couldn't help but say. "I never stopped. I will never stop."

Eleanor was silent, but she soon lifted her head up to meet his eyes.

"If I had a penny for how many times you've said that," she began, "I'd be the richest girl in the world." Her hand came up to cup his cheek.

"And you…" she continued. "If you had a penny for how many times I've said it to you, you would be the poorest boy in the world." Park couldn't help but laugh. Eleanor was just as snarky.

Her other hand came up to touch Park's other cheek.

"But maybe I'll give you some change," she said. Park's eyes widened.

"I love you, Park," she said simply. "So…take the penny. Take it and buy yourself something nice." Park laughed again and bent his neck to kiss her.

 _This is it for me…_

Eleanor and Park both remembered hearing Park say that so long ago. But now, with every kiss, every stroke, every touch, they were both reverberating the words.

Eleanor and Park didn't know what would happen next, but they did know that they would be together. They had crossed the sky.

And they would do it over and over, again and again.

FIN.

I was so nostalgic as I wrote this…I read this book in high school and now years later it still has just as big of an effect on me. I hoped you enjoyed this fic; it means a lot to me.

Much love. :)


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